Calendars provide a display of sequential time periods, usually days, weeks, months, and years, in an organized format. While a full calendar might be printed with all periods on a single sheet, frequently calendar periods are presented on separate sheets or separate displays that together define the calendar. For example, a calendar may display each period, i.e., day, week, or month, on a separate page, so that the page can be changed at the end of the displayed period. For such displays, calendars are assembled into books, tablets, or like assemblies with removable or turnable pages.
A calendar can be displayed or exhibited on a supporting article such as a paper weight, pen, or desk blotter. The method of display may offer advantages in allowing reference to other periods. For example, a three dimensional calendar block or cube is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,299, formed of cut and folded paper. The six exposed facets of the block each respectively carry a one month calendar, together simultaneously displaying six months of the year. Another six months are displayed on the opposite faces of the cube walls, requiring that the cube be disassembled and then reassembled in inverted form in order to view the second group of months. While this calendar covers a full year, only one six month period of the year is displayed at one time with convenience. Using such a calendar would be especially inconvenient for referral between months on opposite faces of the folded construction. This limitation is inherently tied to the block design and the limited number of faces that can be displayed simultaneously.
A calendar can offer multiple benefits and functions. For example, a calendar can offer both utility and aesthetic enjoyment. The display of calendar information in novel ways helps draw attention to the calendar and may cause it to be used more frequently than another, less novel calendar. A calendar also can advertise and promote. It is common for a promotional calendar to feature significant promotional dates, such as the game days for a sports team. Likewise, advertising and promotional activities can be combined, such as when sports team game calendar carries advertisements from another business. Still further, novel and aesthetically pleasing calendars can be combined with promotional and advertising activities.
It would be desirable to combine a calendar with novel three dimensional designs such that the calendar and the design could provide mutual aesthetic enhancements.
Further, it would be desirable to provide a three-dimensional calendar with a physical indexing feature for predictably locating different period displays.
Still further, it would be desirable to provide a multi-faceted three-dimensional display in which each period is simultaneously displayed on a separate facet.
Another desirable improvement would provide a multi-faceted display having facets of at least two distinct geometric shapes, in which the shape of the facet correlates with its display and function.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the calendar of this invention may comprise the following.